“Get our girls back.” Miss Dotha cupped my cheek in her cold palm. “Kill the bastard who took them.”
Humans spoke those words out of anger, not intent, but I wasn’t human, and I meant to end this.
“Yes, ma’am,” Clay answered for me. “We fully intend to do just that.”
With that, Miss Dotha straightened her shoulders and crunched over glass until she hit the sidewalk.
Gesturing toward the office, I picked my way through the debris. “I’ll check the phone.”
“I’ll call the Kellies,” Clay said, “see if they can track Arden or Camber’s cells.”
The office was in ruins, the same as the store, but the portable phone worked when I lifted the handset.
“We’re good to go.” I scanned the mess. “This will be a nightmare to clean.”
Lotions, bodywashes, tinctures, and more saturated the floor with a layer of slippery, smelly goop.
Whoever or whatever had been stealing my rosebuds, they were out of luck now.
And…yeah…that was the least important thing happening here, but the tiny details were easier to swallow than the big ones. Those, like filing insurance to repair my store, threatened to choke me.
Seeking out my furry hairbow, I stroked her back. “How are you holding up, Colby?”
“He took Camber and Arden…” her small voice trembled, “…because of me.”
“No,” Clay corrected her. “He took them because he’s an asshole.” He hesitated. “Butthole?”
The slip made her laugh, which I was sure had been the point, since he winked at me on the sly.
“None of this is your fault, smarty fuzz butt. From the start, you were an innocent in all this.”
Nestling down in my hair, she hugged the top of my head and breathed, “Okay, Rue.”
“Ms. Hollis?”
The voice drew me out to find the promised help in the form of Miss Dotha’s son, Camber’s uncle. “Hi, Clive.”
“Mom told me you could use a hand.” He whistled at the destruction. “I brought my boys and plywood.”
“Thank you.” I blamed the fresh tears on the overabundance of eucalyptus extract. “I’ll pay for your time and your supplies.” I met him at the door and shook his hand. “It’s the least I can do.”
“Mom would tan my hide if I let you do that.” His smile was crooked. “I’m happy to help.”
Two boys around fifteen or sixteen walked up with toolboxes in hand, and the three of them set to work boarding up the front of my shop, door and all, and sweeping the sidewalk clean to spare me the chore.
As much as I wanted to stalk the phone until it rang, I followed small town protocol and dialed the diner. I ordered my helpers, and the three of us, sandwiches and chips for an early lunch. It was the least I could do, even if the gesture felt empty. Miss Dotha had sent one of her sons to help, who had no clue his niece was missing. Her family was lending me a hand without any expectations after I had cost them so much.
No.
I couldn’t think like that.
Camber and Arden would be okay.
They had to be.
About the time Clive and his boys finished up, I heard Ms. Hampshire call out a greeting.
I was still in the store, making a tiny dent in the mess, when she walked in with multiple bags hanging on her arms. They left bright white lines in her tan skin, and I rushed to take a few. Clay pitched in too, but I couldn’t blame Asa for hanging back. He really did have a knack for spooking people. Especially humans.